Announcing the 2015 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship

ICT Authority: http://www.icta.go.ke/announcing-2015-microsoft-office-specialist-world-championship/

In its 13th year, the 2014 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship attracted more than 400,000 unique candidates from 130 countries who competed to demonstrate their mastery of Microsoft Office products. 123 student finalists participated in the final round of competition.

Qualify for a chance to represent your country at the World Championships in August 9-12 in Dallas, Texas!

Prove your skills in Microsoft Word, Excel® and PowerPoint® and you could win an invitation to compete in the World Championship finals in Dallas, Texas, USA!

The Certiport Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship is an excellent opportunity for you to showcase your Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint skills, have some fun, impress student colleagues and gain recognition.

What is Certiport’s Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship?

The 2015 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship presented by Certiport, Inc. is a global competition that tests students’ skills on Microsoft Office Word, Excel® and PowerPoint. Top students are invited to represent their respective countries at the World Championship. At the World Championship Event, each student competes for World Champion in his or her category (Microsoft Word 2010, Microsoft Word 2013, Microsoft Excel® 2010, Microsoft Excel® 2013, and Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2010). In some countries or regions, students are required to participate in a regional test event as well, and the winners of that event continue on to the World Championship.

Who can participate in the Championship?

Anyone may participate in the qualification round of testing, but to participate in the World Championship, candidates must be students that are enrolled in an approved academic institution recognized by the state or country in which it operates. Students must also be between the ages of 13 and 22 (as of June 15, 2015). Students participating in the World Championship must be able to provide proof of age and student status upon request.

How do I participate in the Championship?

Participating competitors may enter the Championship (Qualifying Round) in either of two ways:

1. Register Eligible Exam Immediately Prior to Testing: If the eligible Exam is taken at an ACADEMIC Certiport Authorized Testing Centre, the exam delivery tool will prompt the student to register his/her score into the Championship immediately prior to taking the exam. If the candidate chooses to submit his/her score to the Championship, the results of that exam will be automatically entered into the Championship.
2. Register Eligible Exam(s) Following Testing: Students may also register any eligible Exam(s) after taking the exam(s) by logging onto their Candidate Home Page at www.certiport.com, clicking on the Championship link, and following the registration instructions. Eligible Exams registered using this tool must be registered during the official Championship dates of the country in which the eligible Exam(s) was taken. Eligible Exams taken by students at any COMMERCIAL Certiport Authorized Testing Centre may also be registered using this tool.

What versions of Microsoft Office will the 2014 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship cover?

The 2014 World Championship will include the following six (6) tracks:

• Microsoft Office Specialist Word 2010
• Microsoft Office Specialist Excel® 2010
• Microsoft Office Specialist PowerPoint® 2010
• Microsoft Office Specialist Word 2013
• Microsoft Office Specialist Excel® 2013
• Microsoft Office Specialist PowerPoint® 2013

When is the Championship taking place in my country?

The Kenya Microsoft Office Specialist national championships will take place on May 29, 2015.

How are the Word, Excel and PowerPoint Country Champions selected?

Country Champions will be selected in one of two ways by the Certiport competition operator:

1. Top Score Method: Competition Operator reviews the competition results for the country and selects the student with the top score for Word, the student with the top score for Excel® per track and the student with the top score for PowerPoint per track (version 2010 or 2013). These students represent the country at the World Championship Event. Certiport retains the right to review local Competition Operator selections.
2. Country Final Method: Competition Operator reviews the competition results for the country and invites several top students, to compete at a country finals event. The winners of the country finals event (in Word, Excel® and PowerPoint) represent the country at the World Championship Event. Certiport retains the right to review Competition Operator selections.

In the event two participants in the same country have the same high Exam score, the participant who completed the Exam in the least amount of time will be the winner. Decisions of Competition Operators and judges are final.

How are the World Champions in Word, Excel® and PowerPoint selected?

All Regional/Country Champions will be invited to the World Championship Event to compete for the title of the World Champion in Word 2010 or 2013, Excel® 2010 or 2013 and PowerPoint 2010 or 2013. At the World Championship Event, all Regional/Country Champions will be tested in a proctored lab on their respective exams. Generally, students will only be asked to complete their exams one time, however, in rare instances Certiport may require a second round of testing.

All participants in the World Championship will be responsible for preparing themselves to compete in their respective exams. Certiport and/or Certiport’s partners may provide students with preparation materials to help facilitate each student’s training on the software.

How many different types of eligible exams can I submit into the Competition?

During the Qualifying Round, a Student can participate in MULTIPLE Exam tracks. For example, they can submit an Excel 2010 and Excel 2013 Exam. However, if they qualify to participate in a Regional/Country Round or the Final Round in Dallas, Texas, USA, they can only compete in only ONE Exam track.

Where can I take an eligible exam?

Eligible exams can be taken at any Academic Certiport Authorized Testing Centre.

For more details contact:

Mr George Kiptalam

Tabarin Consulting

P.O. Box 38104

00623 Nairobi

Kenya

Cell:   +254 (0) 731 433 904

Email: george.kiptalam@tabarinconsulting.com

First African Computer anti-virus software developed in Baringo,Kenya

The first African antivirus has been developed in Kenya at a remote village in Baringo County. Bunifu Technologies is an industry innovation firm founded in the 2011 and since inception has developed software products ranging from mobile, desktop, web and engineering solutions and tools.

Bunifu Sniper, the antivirus software was developed locally by that clearly indicates the exponential potential that Africa has. The anti-virus has an in-built console panel that will help users recover infected files safely. The Sniper anti-virus, which took the group more than a year and a half to develop, also features a wireless and Local Area Network (LAN) scanner that can scan devices within your WiFi range or over your LAN, a document, file and folder repair and restore, file and folder unlock sensor, wireless and LAN sensor as well as piracy protection. The anti-virus is a software too tough for even hackers to crack, and better than others available in the market according to the firm. There will be continuous online upgrades of the antivirus software although the company is also working on ways to enable offline upgrades. The Sniper antivirus product has dominant features such as fast engine, over 17 million virus database definitions, heuristic engine, shared protection, directory navigation guard (watchdog) and proactive real-time surveillance.

Bunifu Technologies has also provided technology-based services and products that range from Android mobile apps, desktop applications, web applications and engineering solutions. Other products that have been developed by the firm include accounting software that provides real-time analyses and record keeping of day to day transactions and Light Bolt SMS – a mass message sending utility that has the ability to send customized personalized messages to many from a single message. Bunifu’s other product is an exam management system that provides an easy interface for exams processing and analysis as well as the Bunifu mini-commander, a handy automated software that can process and respond to SMS commands and also process more than one command at a time.

The firm also runs the only innovation hub in Kenya outside Nairobi.

Read more at: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/lifestyle/article/2000122666/it-brains-develop-first-african-anti-virus-software 

Microsoft Office Specialist: Helping Students Develop Workforce Skills

Will your students be ready for the workforce when they clear high school and college? An achievement they could place on their college portfolio and career resume? Will they have practical Office computing skills that will help them get started in their careers?

Now is your opportunity to enrich the substance and value of your course curriculum with Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) credentials. With certification, students get the opportunity to develop foundational expertise in cutting-edge computing skills as part of their chosen course of study, to help them knock down the academic obstacles and barriers that typically disenchant students and lead to increased drop-out rates. Regardless of the course topic, teachers can provide more to their students by personally achieving demonstrated skills in Microsoft Office. Microsoft Office Specialist certification features a simple framework for skill assessment and validation. And certification verifies a wide variety of computing skills; not only in programmes, but also for specific job functions such as managing budgets and presentations.

MOS certification is the leading IT certification in the world with more than 1 million MOS exams are taken every year in over 140 countries.

Provide Your Students with a Valuable Resource

For years now, the Computer Studies course, which helps students master skills in areas such as word processing, spreadsheets, desktop publishing, and presentation applications has been based on general principles and does not always teach industry leading technologies used in the business world. The course does not include a certification to help students validate to potential employers that they have the necessary skills to perform on the job.

Using MOS certification as a ready-made module for the school’s business and technology curricula offers students the opportunity to master real-world desktop computing skills that businesses require. With Microsoft and Certiport, the certification exam administrator, schools and colleges can replace an outdated curriculum and give their students a curriculum that would remain current with materials from Microsoft and certification exams.

The certification allows students to prove to employers they have a specific skill that is in demand. The MOS program is one way to close the skills gap – it’s one way for employers to find someone to fill exactly what they need in an open position.

Available certifications

With three certification levels (Microsoft Office Specialist, Microsoft Office Specialist Expert and Microsoft Office Specialist Master), the Microsoft Office Specialist credential allows individuals to validate their skills and progress toward their career goals in the following office applications:

• Word - Transform ideas into professional documents
• Excel® - Achieve valuable insights with powerful analysis tools
• PowerPoint - Turn your ideas into impactful presentations
• Access - Track and report important information with ease
• Outlook - Stay connected with up-to-date email and calendar tools
• SharePoint - Stay productive with the freedom to take shared content with you while on the go
• OneNote - Capture, store and share information in digital notebooks
• Office365 - Secure, anywhere access to email, calendars, Office Web Apps, instant messaging, conferencing, and file sharing

Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship

The Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship presented by Certiport, Inc. is a global competition that tests students' skills on Microsoft Office Word, Excel® and PowerPoint. Top students are invited to represent their respective countries at the World Championship. At the World Championship, each student competes for World Champion in his or her category (Microsoft Word 2007, Microsoft Word 2010, Microsoft Excel® 2007, Microsoft Excel® 2010, Microsoft PowerPoint 2007, Microsoft PowerPoint 2007). The MOS World Championship is an inspiring event, motivating more students from all over the world to get certified and validate their technology skills.

To participate, students aged 13 to 22 must submit a passing score on the MOS Word 2007, Excel 2007, PowerPoint 2007, Word 2010, Excel 2010, or PowerPoint 2010 exams and attend an approved, accredited learning institution.

Participants who outperform their peers to make the final round of the World Championship generally have perfect or near-perfect exam scores and completion times well below the allotted examination time. The top three winners in each category receive scholarship prizes for $5,000, $2,500 and $1,000 respectively.

Safaricom to roll out faster data access

Safaricom on Thursday received a licence to roll out third generation (3G) mobile systems and services.

This will enable subscribers access to high speed data communications, which include faster access to internet, video conferencing and video phone, among others.

Safaricom, which has consistently posted huge profits in recent years, is running ahead of the competition. However, competition is expected to intensify with the anticipated entry of other players, among them the third mobile operator, Econet Wireless, which will roll out early next year.

Last Wednesday, Safaricom CEO, Michael Joseph, said the company's profits will come under pressure for the next five years as more players emerge. The roll out is hence, among the firm's strategies to beat off competition.

Last year, Safaricom posted Sh17.2 billion, the highest in the East African region.

Communications Commission of Kenya, director general, John Waweru said 3G enabled services will facilitate e-applications in medical, education and business.

He said although the 3G systems were used more in developed countries, they would assist developing countries to 'leapflog and close technology gaps with the developed countries.'

He added that CCK had requested Safaricom and Celtel to undertake trials on the third generation service in Nairobi and Mombasa, and the services have proved to be of quality.

Mr Waweru said Safaricom should introduce innovative services the like introduced in Singapore last week, where parents were enabled to monitor their children, residence and streets.

"It is my hope that Safaricom will roll out many innovative services in 3G whose uptake would be targeted across the board to meet the needs of all consumers of mobile telephone services," he said.

The licence cost $25 million (Sh1.7 billion). Mr Joseph said the firm will use an equal amount to build the infrastructure for the 3G services.

Mr Waweru said the licence fee will be used to expand Information Communication Technology (ICT)

Update: Banking on a mobile phone

Source: http://www.safaricom.co.ke/m-pesa/

The M-Pesa was officially launched on 6 March 2007 and it promises to re-define the meaning of money transfer as we know it in Kenya today.

According to Safaricom’s website M-PESA is a new service that allows one to transfer money using a mobile phone. And Kenya is the first country in the world to use this service, which is offered in partnership between Safaricom and Vodafone.

M-PESA is available to all members of the public, even if they do not have a bank account which to me is the answer to the prayers of rural Kenyans that the mainstream banks have been ignoring for decades.
The charges to be levied are low as promised, as there is no charges for deposits between Kes. 100 and Kes. 35,000. sending money to a registered M-PESA user will cost you Kes 30 for amounts between Kes. 100 and Kes. 35,0000; non-registered M-PESA users will range from Kes. 30 to Kes. 400 for the same amounts.

Withdrawal charges for M-PESA users range from Kes. 25 to Kes. 170 for Kes. 100 to Kes. 35,000 withdrawals and absolutely free for non M-PESA users (as the sender is already billed for that). I can bet a dime no bank in Kenya can match Safaricom’s charges!

The M-PESA service can also be used to buy airtime too.

And Safaricom seems to have done its homework and gone ahead to license agents (though they are still looking for some more in all parts of the country too!).

So folks, go exchange your old SIM cards for the new, or even better, buy a Safaricom line to start sambazing folks in shags the loot!

Banking on a mobile phone

It has been long since I wrote anything new on this blog, but after coming across some interesting information on banking on mobile phone, decided to put this up.

First, I would like to acknowledge the sources of the information that am about to blog;

Christine Bowers, 'How banking on the mobile phone can help the poor'
Kenneth Kwama, East Standard, 'The next big thing'

The interest in this came about when I had to go for a SIM replacement from Safaricom. What struck me most, was the unsual green color of the SIM card. For some of us perenial mobile phone losers, we had gotten accustomed to the trademark black SIM card. Upon enquiry from the customer care rep at the dealer shop, I was informed this was the new generation SIM card from the 'better option'.

The menu embedded on the SIM card is more extensive, with some new features that are not yet supported by Safaricom - of which M-Pesa was of interest.

Apparently M-Pesa is an acronym for Mteja-Pesa, a low-cost money transfer that transforms your traditional phone into a banking instrumet (think of it like PostaPay!). The idea behind it is so simple! It will allow the mteja to borrow, transfer and pay money using SMS texting, and also access virtual loan accounts!

That is M-Banking or Mobile Banking, which has come of age in Kenya!

What I had not known, is that Safaricom had been running a pilot project in Thika with 400 wateja. And another 600 have tried the system in 8 dealerships in Mathare and Nairobi CBD last year.

It is expected to be launched nxt month, and what stands between Safaricom and the M-Pesa service is CBK's approval as the digital money service is financial in nature.

The possibilities of the service are staggering. Imagine what would the banks fare in the heat of the competition that is bound to be generated. For those poor Kenyans who cannot afford to open (let alone maintain) an account with the banks, this would be the most fastest ad secure means of sending money.

Reminds of the newly launched PostaPay money transfer of Posta that has taken the breathe out of the domestic money transfer service providers like MoloLine and Securicor (I know they are not meant for financial transfer ). All the customer has to do, is approach the dealer, pay the amount that you want sent to the Safaricom account, get issued with a secret code then SMS the code to the recipient, who withdraws the money from any dealer in Kenya using the secret code.

It is anticipaed that this will be low cost (rumoured at Ksh. 18 per transaction).

Life will definitely not be good for Posta and PostBank.

At the moment, enthusiasm for m-banking has outrun its implementation. For one thing, regulators break out in a cold sweat at the thought of all the overlapping issues involved. But there are success stories in other parts of Africa. Leading the way is the South Africa , with MTN Mobile Banking and Wizzit both entering their second year of operations.

These telecom companies aren't offering m-banking out of the kindness of their hearts. They like m-banking because it's a way for them to attract new customers by doing what they already do well—processing millions of tiny transactions. Banks aren't as interested, because they don't expect to profit from poor clients who won't be taking out a mortgage anytime soon. But the telecoms could start siphoning away bank customers who don't need all the bells and whistles.